Professor Heinz Wolff's Gravity review

If you're going to base your game on gravity, get the physics right

12DOVE Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Terrific idea

  • +

    Nice stylus usage

  • +

    Diverting sandbox mode

Cons

  • -

    Hint system is too lenient

  • -

    Only 100 puzzles

  • -

    Physics aren't convincing

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We really want to like this game because it’s endorsed by Professor Heinz Wolff. We also really want to like it because it’s a terrific idea: place objects around a stage to guide a ball or cart to a target, with gravity doing all the work. It should be proper brain-teasing stuff, and the stylus is well suited to drag-and-drop stuff. But there are some clunking great faults.

For one, it’s not that difficult. Some stages will set you cussing, but the hint system is too lenient. There are only 100 puzzles, too. You can play around in the Sandbox mode and there are a handful of so-so minigames, but you could rattle through this in an afternoon. The object-placement is hit and miss and – fundamentally for a game called Gravity – the physics aren’t convincing. Objects seem peculiarly weighted, and the way items bounce is just… well, it’s anti-gravity. If someone could give this a tidy-up with some spot-on physics and some real challenges it could be a gem. Shame.

Dec 17, 2008

More info

GenrePuzzle
DescriptionA slim set of gravity based puzzles that is sorely lacking in good physics.
PlatformPC, DS, Wii
US censor ratingEveryone
UK censor rating3+
Release date28 November 2008 (US), 28 November 2008 (UK)
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